Noisy And Bright
by starbuckfaerie21
Summary: Set immediately after "Something To Hold On To." Joel brings Alex home after her surgery.


Home

 **Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own neither _Saving Hope_ nor Daniel Gillies.

 **Pairing:** Alex & Joel (Jalex)

 **Rating: T**

 **Summary:** Joel waits impatiently for Alex to return home.

Joel Goran watched in horror as the images of Canadian Airlines plane crash flashed across the television screen. He muted the sound so it wouldn't wake the kids. He grabbed his cell phone, and dialed his wife's number.

 _And it went straight to voicemail._

 _Of course there had to be a plane crash on the news when Alex was away at a general surgery conference at John's Hopkins in Baltimore._

She was due home tonight.

Joel exhaled at the sound of her voice on the recording that asked him to leave a message.

"Alex, love it's me. I can't remember your flight number. There's a plane crash on the news. And I just needed to hear your voice. Call or text me as soon as you get this. I'll see you later tonight. I love you."

Joel hung up just before the beep cut him off. He wanted a beer to calm his nerves, but he couldn't risk drinking if he had to pick Alex up from the airport.

A few seconds later his phone buzzed with an incoming text. His usually steady as a rock hands shook slightly as he looked at the phone.

Joel, baby,

Miss you.

Flight #1730

Delayed. Still at airport in Baltimore.

Will call you when I land.

Love you & the kids.

Joel smiled as he texted her back.

Love you too, Reid.

See you soon.

He hit send and a few seconds later, his phone buzzed again as he received another text.

Can't wait Dr. Goran,

Open a bottle of wine for me?

-A

Joel got up and went to the kitchen, still holding his phone. He took a bottle of pinot off the rack. Setting his phone on the counter, he rummaged through the kitchen drawer until he found a corkscrew. He opened the bottle and let it breathe on the counter.

Picking up his phone again, he sent a quick reply to Alex as he made his way back to the living room.

Yes ma'am, Doctor Reid.

-J

Joel sat down on the sofa, relieved to know that Alex was safe. Just before he turned off the television, he spotted the flight number of the crashed plane as it drifted across the screen for the hundredth time that evening.

 _It was Flight #1370._

Joel shuddered, leaning back into the pillows on the sofa.

 _Thank God, you're safe Reid._

 _I don't know what the kids and I would do without you._

 _And I never want to find out._

Those were Joel's last thoughts as he drifted off to sleep.

 _The dream was almost a mirror image of everything that had happened earlier that evening._

 _The plane crash on the muted television screen._

 _The panic in the pit of his stomach._

 _His frantic call to Alex._

 _But in the dream, he thought about opening the wine before she asked._

 _He went into the kitchen, the wine bottle in one hand, cell phone in the other._

Joel, baby

Flight #1370.

Just took off.

See you soon.

Love you.

-A

Joel glancedfrom his cell phone to the television screen and back in horror and disbelief.

"No, no, no." He repeated the word over and over until it no longer made sense.

"Alex!" He screamed, as the wine bottle slipped through his fingers and shattered on the hardwood of the kitchen floor with a crash.

Joel awoke with a start, in a cold sweat.

"Alex!"

She didn't answer.

He blinked away the sleep from his eyes as he looked around the darkened living room.

The television was off.

The bottle of wine was still breathing on the counter.

 _It had been a nightmare._

Joel let out a shaky breath and sat up. His sweat soaked t-shirt clinging uncomfortably to his skin.

He pulled the t-shirt over his head on the way up the stairs. He went into the master bedroom, for a change of clothes, tossing the sweat-stained shirt into the hamper on his way to the shower.

He turned the shower on as cold as he could stand and stood directly under the spray.

An exhausted Alex Reid, unlocked and opened the front door, her hand trembled so much that she almost dropped the keys. She had her purse over one shoulder and her overnight bag over the other.

"Joel, are you still up?" She called as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

Then she heard the shower running, and made her way up the stairs, dropping her purse and bag by the door on her way.

 _Maybe I'll surprise him._

Her blouse was half unbuttoned by the time she reached the top of the stairs. The door to the master bathroom creaked slightly when she opened it.

Joel heard the creak of the bathroom door as it opened and he turned off the shower.

"Alex, love, is that you?" Joel asked, as he stepped out of the shower.

"Yeah. I was going to join you. But it looks like you're done." She said, handing him a towel.

He took it from her, and wrapped it around his waist. Suddenly she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him out of the shower until he was standing right in front of her, his body against hers.

 _Even exhausted, she still looks like a million bucks._

"Hey," She whispered, "Did you miss me?"

Joel flashed her one of his trademark grins, "Oh Doctor Reid, you have _no idea_ how much I missed you."

"Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea…" Her voice, trailed off for a second as her fingers brushed against his shoulder. "Joel, baby, you're freezing? What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Joel shook his head, water soaking through her unbuttoned blouse as he leaned into her.

"No, love, I'm fine. I just had dream and I thought a cold shower would help."

"Oh really?" She whispered, pressing her lips against the mole behind his ear.

She felt his body vibrate just the slightest bit as he chuckled.

"It wasn't that kind of dream. Alex Reid, you saucy minx. How was the conference?"

"Long." Alex answered, just before she kissed Joel on the mouth.

"Why didn't you call me?" He asked, gently pulling the rubber band from her long dark hair. "I would've picked you up from the airport."

Alex nodded as she followed Joel into the master bedroom. "I know. But then you would've had to wake the kids up. How are they? I didn't want to wake them."

"The kids are fine. They'll be glad you're home."

Alex smiled, "Not as glad as I am." She crawled into bed, without even changing her clothes, letting her shoes hit the floor with a dull thud.

"How did you get home? Joel asked, watching with satisfaction as Alex stretched out like a cat on the king size bed they shared.

"I took a cab." She replied, reaching for his hand and pulling him towards her in their bed. As he wrapped his arms around her, he could feel her body trembling.

 _Alex hated cabs._

 _Ever since the accident she'd been in with Charlie all those years ago._

 _She got anxious whenever she rode in one._

"So that's why you're shaking." Joel said, getting even closer to her. "Alex, you're all right love. You're home now."

"Mmmmhhhm… "Alex replied, pillowing her head on Joel's chest, already seconds from falling asleep.

"What was your dream about?" Alex asked drowsily.

Joel kissed the top of her head, inhaling the intoxicatingly familiar scent of her hair.

"I don't want to talk about it. It doesn't matter." Joel whispered softly.

"It's all right, Joel, baby. You're home now." Alex said, softly the words blurring together as she fell asleep.

 _If she only knew how true those words were._

 _Alex and their children were his home._

 _He would never feel complete without them ever again._

"That I am, Doctor Reid." Joel answered, feeling content, just before he fell into a deep dreamless sleep.


End file.
